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Chris Gotterup storms back for epic WM Phoenix Open victory

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Chris Gotterup is your 2026 WM Phoenix Open champion — and he earned it in unforgettable fashion.

Standing on the 13th tee, Gotterup’s chances of victory looked all but gone. After bogeying the par-3 12th, his 11-under total left him five shots off the lead. A solid top-10 finish (and a healthy paycheck) seemed likely. Taking home hardware did not.

That assumption didn’t last long.

Over the final six holes, Gotterup caught fire, carding five birdies to surge into the clubhouse lead at 16 under. The run included a clutch wedge shot from the gallery on the 18th hole that finished inside five feet, putting the finishing touches on his final-round 64.

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“I knew I’d need to make birdie on 18,” Gotterup said. “But you never know.”


The WM Phoenix Open trophy

2026 WM Phoenix Open money: How much every player made at TPC Scottsdale


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Josh Schrock



Even then, his fate wasn’t fully in his hands. Hideki Matsuyama, the 54-hole leader, still sat one stroke clear, leaving Gotterup to wait on the driving range and hope for a mistake.

That blunder came on the final hole.

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Needing only a par to claim his third victory at TPC Scottsdale, Matsuyama hooked his tee shot on 18 into the church pew bunkers left of the fairway. His approach clipped the bunker’s lip and squirted into the intermediate rough more than 40 yards short of the green. When Matsuyama failed to get up and down, the two headed back to the 18th tee for a playoff.

The playoff hole unfolded eerily similar to regulation. Gotterup once again blasted his drive into wedge range, while Matsuyama again missed left, this time finding the water. Moments later, Gotterup poured his birdie putt into the center of the cup to seal the win.

“I’m just having such a good time playing right now,” Gotterup said, choking back tears. “I know everyone at home is watching, and it’s just so awesome.”

With the victory, Gotterup earns $1.7 million, moves to the top of the FedEx Cup standings and becomes the first player to win multiple events during the 2026 season, following his victory at The Sony just three weeks ago.

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“There are just so many people who believe in me,” he said. “It’s so much fun.”

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Josh Frey’s 2026 NFL Draft Guide: Toledo Safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren

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Toldeo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in 2023
Dec 30, 2023; Tucson, AZ, USA; Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (22) against the Wyoming Cowboys in the Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.

This year’s safety class has become all about Caleb Downs.

Rightfully so as the Ohio State product has all the tools to become a starter at the NFL level. However, there is another defensive back prospect out of Toledo who has begun catching the eyes of many as the 2026 NFL Draft approaches. That player is Emmanuel McNeil-Warren.

Background

Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images

Statistics

  • 2022: 7 tackles, 1 forced fumble (13 games)
  • 2023: 69 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles (14 games)
  • 2024: 61 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble (8 games)
  • 2025: 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 5 passes defended, 2 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered (13 games)

Measurables

  • Height: 6′ 3 1/2″
  • Weight: 201
  • Hand Size: 9 1/4″
  • Arm Length: 32 1/8″
  • 40-Yard Dash: 4.52
  • 10-Yard Split: 1.58
  • 20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
  • Vertical: 35.5″
  • Broad Jump: 10′ 2″
  • 3-Cone: N/A
  • Bench: N/A

Experience is not an issue for McNeil-Warren heading into the NFL. He began making starts during his sophomore season in 2023 before taking over the role fully during his junior year. While his 2024 season was cut short due to an undisclosed injury. That didn’t seem to hamper him in 2025 though as he bounced back and had another fantastic season for the Rockets.

Strengths

Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) runs the ball against Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images

McNeil-Warren is an absolute demon at the safety position against the run. He is not afraid of contact and uses his size to deliver massive hits, hence why he forced nine fumbles over his four years in college, including a MAC-leading four during his sophomore year in 2023. His ability to drive downhill on running lanes in the box and bring some pop is a special trait that NFL defenses will crave.

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The athletic ability should not be slept on either. McNeil-Warren has an innate ability to pick the right lane through blockers and turn his hips to make seamless direction changes, sniffing out the football along the way. His ability to make open field tackles is extremely impressive.

On top of that, among FBS safeties with at least 200 coverage snaps in 2025, he was PFF’s top graded player with a coverage grade of 92.0. He was targeted just 15 times this season, and he gave up just six receptions for 116 yards with five pass breakups.

Weaknesses

2026 NFL Draft Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren
Aug 30, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Dante Dowdell (2) jumps over Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) during the third quarter at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Much like Quinyon Mitchell a couple years ago, many of the concerns stem from the level of competition McNeil-Warren went up against in college. It’s easier to make plays when you’re one of the fastest players on the field, but that speed will become the norm at the NFL level.

While tackling has been a strong suit throughout his career, there seemed to be some lapses in focus during his senior season. He more than doubled his missed tackle numbers from six in 2024 to 13 in 2025. H0pefully, that won’t become a trend as a pro.

2026 NFL Draft Projection

Sep 14, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) and Toledo Rockets safety Maxen Hook (25) during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-Imagn Images
  • NFL Draft Projection: Day 1-Day 2 (Mid-Round 1 to Early Round 2)
  • Team Fits: Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers

McNeil-Warren may end up falling a bit further in the draft because of where he played his college football, but at some point, talent is talent. The man is an extremely fun football player to watch, brings tons of energy and physicality, and he has the potential to be a cornerstone for a defense in the NFL.


Editor’s Note: Statistics from Pro Football Focus helped with this article.

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Josh Frey is a senior writer at both PurplePTSD.com and VikingsTerritory.com, with a fascination for the NFL Draft. To … More about Josh Frey

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What is Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft?

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Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft is a unique mod that drastically increases the game’s difficulty to bizarre levels. The hardest vanilla difficulty is the hardcore mode. In hardcore mode, you will lose the world once you die. While the Impossible Difficulty datapack does not feature the hardcore mechanic, it adds all kinds of other dangers that you cannot even imagine.

Here are more details about the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft.


Features and download guide for Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft

What does the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft offer?

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When you enter a Minecraft vanilla world, you start by punching a tree to get some wood and create a crafting table to make basic tools. However, in the Impossible Difficult datapack for Minecraft, you will not even be able to punch a tree without danger.

When you try to punch a tree, the entire tree will explode and kill you instantly. If you manage to get wood and create a crafting table, the block will terrifyingly convert into a killing machine, with a bazooka and two cutting discs. If you finally defeat all the hostile mobs in a structure and open chests to loot, a custom shulker mob will appear from it and kill you with a laser gun.

Villages will not be safe as well, as villagers will turn into masked serial killers, running towards you with chainsaws. Creepers can randomly multiply all around you, trapping you in a massive explosion, furnace block will become a flamethrower while smelting items, and much more.

In various other bizarre and hilarious ways, the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft makes the game almost unplayable. Despite all this, the unique ways in which the modder has increased the game’s difficulty are worth checking out at least once.

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Below are some of the settings you can change using commands. Make sure to go into creative mode in order to use these commands:

  • /trigger difficulty set <1-3>
  • /trigger dragon_difficulty set <1-3>
  • /trigger toggle_armor_slowdown
  • /trigger toggle_chest
  • /trigger toggle_endermen
  • /trigger toggle_flashbang
  • /trigger count_features

How to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft?

Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)
Both the Impossible Difficulty datapack and resourcepack need to be installed (Image via CurseForge/McMakistein)

Here is a guide to download and install the Impossible Difficulty datapack for Minecraft:

  1. Make sure you have Minecraft 1.21.1 installed from the official launcher. You can do so by going into Java Edition’s “Installations” tab, create new installation, and selecting 1.21.1.
  2. Download both the Impossible Difficulty Resourcepack and Datapack. As of now, it is only compatible with 1.21.1. The modder might create updated versions in the future.
  3. Once downloaded, open the Minecraft directory, which should be here for every player: C:\Users\{your username}\AppData\Roaming\.minecraft.
  4. In this folder, find or create “datapacks” and “resourcepacks” folders, and transfer Impossible Difficulty files to both.
  5. Open the Minecraft launcher again and open the 1.21.1 game version. Create a new world, and start enjoying the extra difficulty.

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